MEET OUR NATURALIST LEADERS

Ian Shanahan

		Currently head naturalist at Presqu'ile Provincial Park, Ian's travels have taken him through much of Canada, the Caribbean, the Americas and Europe. A life-long naturalist and second generation Quest leader, Ian's interests include "anything that flies", photography and the creation of nature art. Point Pelee

Aaron Lawton

		Aaron has guided and instructed sea kayaking, canoeing, hiking, climbing and rafting trips on five of seven continents. He has worked as Assistant Expedition Leader or Expedition Leader on over 70 polar expeditions. Aaron has been working with Quest for the last 5 years. Antarctic Circle Voyage

Adrienne Mason

		Adrienne is trained as a marine biologist and has worked as head of interpretation at the Bamfield Biological Research facility on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Since then she has been a prolific natural history writer with some ten books now published.

Alan Watson

		Alan is Director of the Arboretum at the University of Guelph, an Assistant Professor of Environmental Biology and a specialist in adult education. His research interests are wide-ranging, from Harbour Porpoises in the Maritimes to trees in Central Canada. He is an expert, as well, in bird ecology. Alan is an experienced Quest leader who had led our trips to Point Pelee, Magdalen Islands & PEI, and Trinidad & Tobago. Tanzania Safari

Alison Watt

		Alison is an experienced nature tour leader whose academic training is in botany. She has worked as a resident naturalist in BC, and in the lowland Amazon rainforest of Peru, explored Mexico and Costa Rica, and led trips on Canada's west coast and the Yukon. She is a writer, an excellent birder and teacher with her main focus as a botanical painter. We are pleased to have Alison continue to lead this Quest tour to Honduras as our participants give her rave reviews.

Brian Ratcliff

		Brian is a wildlife biologist who has worked with owls in Ontario, caribou surveys in the Yukon, and Peregrine Falcon rehabilitation and release programs. Brian has led previous Quest trips to Churchill, Cuba and Antarctica. A skilled leader and interpreter, he lives near Lake Superior.

Chris Earley

		My name is Chris Earley and I'm the University of Guelph Arboretum's Interpretive Biologist and Education Coordinator. I've been a nature geek my whole life. I enjoy teaching a variety of bird, insect and art workshops at The Arboretum as well as designing signage and leading tours. I do a variety of special lectures on campus and I am the co-professor of a first-year course called Hawks and Humans. I'm the author of 5 bird books published by Firefly Books: Warblers; Sparrows and Finches; Waterfowl; Hawks and Owls of the Great Lakes Region and Eastern North America; Birds A-Z. I have travelled to many places, sometimes for study purposes, sometimes for work, but always for pleasure! Exploring the world's varied habitats and watching its wildlife is one of my passions. I have been a part of many interesting research projects and field trips in places such as Australia, New Zealand, Bolivia, Nevis and, of course, Ontario. I have also travelled to Mexico, Cuba, Peru, England, South Korea, Bermuda, Fiji, Cooks Islands and all Canadian provinces and most U.S. states. Recently, I did some filming in Nunavut for a birding tv series I was hosting. To expand my knowledge base, I've started a part-time Master of Science project studying an invasive paper wasp that may be competing with cavity-nesting birds for nest boxes. I have been leading trips for Quest Nature Tours since 1999. These have included the Best of Baffin Island, Churchill to Greenland, Southern Ontario Spring Migration and Point Pelee Birding Weekends. Since 2001, I have been leading Quest tours to Kenya and Tanzania. East Africa is a truly amazing place. It is incredible to be able to watch so many large mammal species out in the open in their natural environment. If you have never been, I strongly suggest you consider going! These pursuits still leave me with enough time to go to the cottage; play basketball and soccer; and hang out with my awesome (and obviously very patient) wife and wonderful kids. The Galapagos Islands

David Euler

		After finishing his Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology in 1973 at Cornell University, Dr. Euler worked as a Wildlife Habitat Biologist for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR), was a Research Scientist and then became a Senior Policy Advisor in the Forest Management Branch. He was part of the Ministry team that wrote the Crown Forest Sustainability Act and the forest management planning manual. In 1995 he became Dean of the Faculty of Forestry and the Forest Environment at Lakehead University, where he taught fish and wildlife ecology and forest management. He has published scientific papers on forest - wildlife habitat management, and was an editor and chapter author of a book titled "The Ecology of a Managed Terrestrial Landscape: Patterns and Process in the Forests of Ontario". He is also an Associate Editor of the Journal of Wildlife Management. Following retirement in 2001, Dr. Euler has worked as a consultant in forest and wildlife management including: auditing forest management plans, technical consultations with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and providing advice on forest landscape management in Ontario. He served on the Ontario Provincial Forest Technical Committee for 4 years and was involved in developing the Boreal Standard for the Forest Stewardship Council. He wrote a report on High Conservation Value Forests in the Algoma Region, for use by Clergue Forest Management as part of the certification audit for the Forest Stewardship Council. Dr Euler also developed and conducted workshops on forest management planning in Ontario to help members of the public participate in the planning process. During 2006, Dr. Euler served as a technical consultant to the Commission on Environmental Cooperation concerning the context, constitutional basis for, and scope of the Migratory Bird Regulations with respect to incidental take of migratory birds. He was a regional coordinator and participant in the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas for Region 34, an area along the Highway 17 near Thessalon, Ontario. Currently Dr. Euler also edited a book entitled "Algonquin Park: the human impact". This book is a scientific analysis of the impact of people on Algonquin Provincial Park. It includes chapters on fish and wildlife, road development, visitor impacts and the changes wrought by logging in the Park. It is intended to be a "State of the Park" report to establish a base line for ecological values in this specific Park. Dr Euler has traveled widely in South and Central America, Africa and parts of Asia, as well as most states and provinces in North America. He lives near Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. South Africa Mekong River Cruise

David Milsom

		David is an expert naturalist who has travelled throughout Europe, North and South America. He is a keen nature photographer with an excellent knowledge of birds, mammals and butterflies. David has led Quest trips to Newfoundland, Texas, Colorado, England, Galapagos Islands, Tunisia, Spain and Canada's High Arctic and the Antarctic. Copper Canyon, Mexico Tunisia The Great Canyon Lands of the Southwest Flora and Fauna of the Carpathians Spain

Don Shanahan

		Don is formerly a Secondary School Science Department Head who has had extensive experience as a nature tour leader. During his travels to many parts of the world, he has been able to hone his natural history interpretive skills. He has participated in many studies with the Ministry of Natural Resources, Canadian Wildlife Service and Bird Studies Canada and has also written for a number of publications. Don will be using his knowledge, experience, intuition and humour to ensure that everyone on this trip enjoys it to the fullest. In Search of Whoopers Magdalen Islands & Prince Edward Island Peru

Gavan Watson

		Born in Southern Ontario, Gavan is a third-generation naturalist and a second-generation Quest tour leader. Growing up in Guelph, he attended the University of Guelph (BASc) and York University (MES) where he is currently completing a PhD in environmental education. Some of Gavan's earliest memories involve birding with parents and grandparents. During his undergraduate degree, Gavan began working as an interpretive naturalist and moved to the Midland area after graduating to work as the Program Co-ordinator at the Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre. While working full-time on his graduate degrees in Toronto, Gavan has continued to interpret the natural world, teaching popular experiential Natural History courses in the Faculty of Environmental Studies. An overall goal in all of his work is to introduce others to the natural world and inspire life-long learning about it. Gavan has extensive travel experience, including the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, Peru, North-Western Europe and many Provinces and States within North America. As a Quest leader since 2007, Gavan has lead groups through the Yukon Territory and State of Alaska. Mature and thoughtful, he employs his sense of humour to help make the best of any situation. With a passion for the natural world, Gavan sees his role as a Quest leader to share the interesting & unseen connections between the ecology, geology, birds, plants and animals of a region in addition to ensuring that participants have a safe and inspiring trip. Currently living in Toronto with his wife and two Border Terriers, he spends his free-time photographing in the ravines around his house, and becoming an (even) better botanist. Yukon and Alaska Trinidad & Tobago

Geoff Carpentier

		Geoff's interest in nature started when he was 13 as he used to wander through the woods and countryside near his Canada home, learning about nature first hand. Educated at the University of Guelph in Canada, he studied zoology and biological sciences. Recently retired, he worked for over 33 years with the Canadian Ministry of the Environment. In his spare time, he maintained an active personal life where he taught nature and pesticides courses at community colleges and has led hundreds of nature walks and trips. He is a widely published author in nature magazines and books, wrote regular nature columns for local newspapers, and worked as an interpretive guide in several national parks. Geoff's latest triumph is the recent publication of his second book "Antarctica First Journey," a resource guide for Antarctic travellers. Over the years, various tributes have recognized his contributions to the protection of wildlife and wild places. He has travelled the world, visiting over 60 countries on all seven continents, where he has shared time with polar bears, Amazonian snakes and piranhas, observed the private lives of lions, avoided riots in Venezuela, hiked the Andes, camped with Pademelons, walked with penguins and canoed Ontario's northern lakes. He is now embarking on his second career as an expedition guide and interpretative leader, where he will build on his lifelong passion for nature, and where he has already led numerous trips to Antarctica, South Georgia, the Falklands, Svalbard, Russia & Alaska, Cuba and Borneo. Borneo Taiwan East Africa Classic Safari

Glenn Barrett

		Growing up in a family that took regular summer camping trips throughout Canada and the United States, Glenn's interest in nature and the outdoors began early in life. He pursued those goals by attending the University of Guelph where he graduated with a B.Sc., specialization in Wildlife Biology. With interests in both biology and environmental education, Glenn worked for the Wellington County School Board helping teachers and students naturalize portions of school properties to provide learning opportunities for students. Glenn also led outdoor education programs at the University of Guelph's Arboretum and Mountsberg Conservation Area, and he volunteered at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge in California for six months, where he participated in all facets of this NWR's busy environmental education program. Employed as a Wildlife Technician for Environment Canada since 1994, Glenn assists with a wide range of wildlife toxicology and population conservation projects on birds, herpetofauna and mammals at study sites throughout the Great Lakes Basin. Glenn gained additional fieldwork experience assisting with studies in Alaska on Black-legged Kittiwakes and in the Galapagos Islands where he camped for five months on Espanola Island. During his time on Espanola he studied the reproductive ecology of Nazca and Blue-footed Boobies, had the thrilling opportunity to band Waved Albatross chicks and snorkelled almost every day enjoying the amazing underwater environment found in Galapagos! Each year he enjoys showing a new group of Quest clients this hidden part of the Galapagos and sharing with them tales from his five-month camping adventure. A keen naturalist and published nature photographer, he has pursued both interests while travelling throughout all Canadian provinces, many parts of USA and a lot of Ecuador. A Past President of the Hamilton Naturalists' Club, Glenn continues to be an active member involved in leading hikes, writing articles for the Club newsletter The Wood Duck, participating in land trust activities, and taking on leadership roles in Club projects such as the publication of the Birds of Hamilton and Surrounding Areas book and the Nature In Your Neighbourhood community initiative. A Quest tour leader since 2002, Glenn has led trips to the Galapagos and the Southern Ontario Spring Migration tour. To view some of Glenn's photos from past Galapagos trips please visit: www.pbase.com/glenn_barrett/ecuador Glenn lives in Southern Ontario with his family where they enjoy hiking, biking, camping, paddling and making music together. Costa Rica & Panama Canal

Jean Iron

		Jean is a very well travelled person who follows her natural history interests to many parts of the world. Jean is a Past President of the Ontario Field Ornithologists. She has led Quest land tours to Honduras, Cuba, and Point Pelee and Quest expedition cruises to Georgian Bay, Costa Rica and Panama, and the High Arctic of Canada and Norway. Svalbard Explorer Belize and Guatemala Monteverde and Sarapiqui Pearls of Polynesia

John Fletcher

		John is the owner of a Jamaican coffee plantation who also has a very keen interest in birds. He is treasurer of BirdLife Jamaica and is an advocate for wildlife conservation on the island. John will be our Jamaican naturalist and birdwatching guide for the first half of the tour.

John Haselmayer

		John is a field biologist who has been very active in research projects in Canada, Mexico, Peru, New Zealand and Puerto Rico. He spends the month of May at Point Pelee NP, during the peak bird migration, leading bird hikes and giving bird identification workshops. John is fluently trilingual in English, Spanish and French. Iguazu Falls Brazil

Jorge Barraza

		Jorge is a Honduran who was born in Copan and who had been leading special interest tours including archaeology and natural history in Honduras. Jorge is a graduate of the Universidad Pedagogica de Honduras. He has been the Quest co-leader for this tour for six years. Honduras

Michael Malone

		Mike is an avid naturalist who has had professional connections with nature over the years including working as a "Keeper" at the Metro Toronto Zoo, and as a seabird colony researcher for the Canadian Wildlife Service in the Maritimes and Arctic. From spring to fall, Michael operates a nature store at Point Pelee, Ontario. Each winter he migrates to Oaxaca, Mexico. Here for 24 years, he has interpreted nature and culture of Oaxaca State to visitors.

Mike Street

		Mike Street is a widely travelled naturalist with many and varied interests. Mike's careful trip planning and attention to detail are appreciated by his tour participants. He has led successful Quest trips to Cuba, Newfoundland and Turkey. The Best of Cuba Western Newfoundland and Labrador

Richard Craik

		A native of the UK, Richard has been living in Vietnam since 1992 and leads specialized birding tours. Cat Tien National Park

Peter Cunnington

		Peter Cunnington was for many years curator of Ness Botanic Gardens. A long time member of the UK Alpine Garden Society and part of its seed collecting expedition into Yunnan in the early 1990's, Peter has led several botanical trips to this and other regions. Wildflowers of Yunnan

Pete Read

		Pete has been a dedicated educator and expert interpretative naturalist for many years. He has travelled extensively in North America, the Caribbean, and Australia. He served as ship's naturalist on board the R/V Akademic Ioffe in Antarctica. He is fond of disseminating his vast natural history knowledge to others, and has led previous Quest tours to Cuba and Georgian Bay. Tirelessly working for the environment, you might find him each Spring guiding bird hikes at Point Pelee National Park particularly to encourage new birders or find him taking part in many volunteer projects for his local naturalist group and other organizations. Since retiring from the teaching profession, he has also been active as an environmental consultant doing field work throughout Ontario and been designing and working on building projects for preservation of an endangered species, the Loggerhead Shrike. Currently, he is thrilled to be leading Quest trips to Iceland and to Costa Rica. Amazon Rainforest of Brazil

Expedition Staff

		The on board program of lectures and excursion is delivered by expedition staff. South Orkney Antarctic Odyssey Antarctic Peninsula Adventure Falkland Islands, South Georgia and Antarctic Peninsula French Polynesia Danube River Cruise Canada's Northwest Passage

Robin Tapley

		Robin is a great naturalist and an expert tour leader, who always garners accolades from the participants on his tours. He is, currently, Director of Recreation and Environmental Development for a famous Muskoka resort. He is developing a Natural History program for a resort in British Columbia and consults on many other natural history projects. He has led many Quest tours including the Galapagos Islands, Madagascar, Antarctica, Muskoka and New Brunswick. The Galapagos Islands Patagonia

Roy John

		Roy has travelled extensively around the world and has led previous Quest trips to Western Canada. He is an experienced and accomplished interpretive naturalist and a keen nature photographer.

Ryan Love

		Ryan is the park ranger for the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park. He is an excellent naturalist with a keen interest in birds. He visited Canada in Fall 2002 to participate in a Bird Studies Canada bird-banding program at long point, Ontario. If anyone can find his country's endemic birds, Ryan can!

Ian Green

		The flowers and mountains of the Middle East are Ian's prime area of expertise. This will be his fifth tour to the Zagros Mountains, where he has discovered new sites for some of the region's choicest bulbs and alpines.

Sherry Kirkvold

		Sherry is a naturalist who has worked in the provincial, national and regional park systems in British Columbia, in museums and has run her own business in the field of interpretation. The west coast has been her home for 25 years and she has explored many areas of it. She is the principal author of the art book that helped raise awareness and led, eventually, to the protection of the Carmanah Valley. She has previously been a Quest leader in the Queen Charlotte Islands and on Quest's Vancouver Island trip. Costa Rica Iceland Haida Gwaii

Tony Beck

		Tony is a professional naturalist, wildlife photographer and teacher who has travelled extensively in North and Central America. He is a caring tour leader who shares his contagious enthusiasm and well-honed skills with his tours participants. Tony has lead previous Quest tours to Hawaii, Costa Rica and Eastern and Western Canada. Jordan to Egypt Cruise Namibia, Botswana and Victoria Falls

Yasemin Konuralp

		Yasmin was a high school music teacher, has climbed many of Turkey's major mountains, is an accomplished photographer, and is an excellent botanist. She is currently completing a book on the wildflowers of Turkey.

Jim Coey

		Jim has been an avid naturalist since the age of 10 and studied botany and zoology at university. His birding and natural history interests have taken him to many parts of North and South America, Africa, Europe and Asia. Jim is an experienced leader and has led trips to Cuba, Galapagos Islands, Madagascar, Ireland, Western Canada, Antarctica and the High Arctic.

Geoff Henderson

		Geoff was raised on a farm and has always been a keen studentof nature. After graduating with a biological degree majoring in botany, Geoff took up a career in teaching, where he taught in New Zealand and England. During these years he taught outdoor education and natural science. New Zealand

Elizabeth Knowles

		Liz has researched and accompanied numerous wildflower tours around the world including Crete and Patagonia, Sichuan, Yunnan and Western Australia. She is an enthusiastic gardener and photographer. Wildflowers of Yunnan

Luis Godoy

		Luis has been a certified naturalist guide in Belize, for over 15 years, with special credentials in wild orchids and Mayan archaeology and culture. He is very well-known throughout the country for his wide-ranging expertise in natural history and now operates his own nature tour company. We are pleased to have him return as one of our Quest leaders.

Martin Hrouzek

		Martin grew up in the southeast corner of the Czech Republic, speaks fluent English, and has been leading European nature and cultural tours for the past 10 years. He has a keen eye and knowledge of the wildlife and flora of the region, and immerses his tour participants in the local culture and history of the heart of Europe.

Lalaina Mamisoa Rakotomavo

		Lalaina was born and raised in Madagascar, and is the local guide for our Quest Madagascar tours. He is an extremely sociable person, and well respected throughout the country, and is familiar with the natural history of all the major regions of Madagascar. In addition to Lalaina, we'll also be using the services of expert local naturalists throughout the tour.

Justin Peter

		Justin works as senior naturalist at Ontario's world-renowned Algonquin Park, where he coordinates the park's interpretive program and acts as lead howler for the celebrated Public Wolf Howl events. A keen and intense observer of nature since childhood, he is always ready to point out and interpret interesting natural phenomena wherever he goes. He has travelled to India, Europe, North America, the Yucatan in Mexico and the Caribbean. Justin is particularly interested in bird behaviour. He speaks three languages fluently and dabbles in several more. He has led bird walks at Point Pelee NP during spring migration. Polar Bears of Churchill North India South India

Paulo Boute

		Paulo is a professional ornithologist who has been guiding nature tours in Brazil since 1982. He has a degree in Agronomy from the University of Mato Grosso which provides him with a great knowledge of the ecology of the Amazon and the Pantanal. He founded Boute Expeditions in 1992 and is Quest's Brazilian tour operator. He will be accompanying the tour from start to finish.